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Photos: Arizona's most lopsided wins under Sean Miller

Mar 14, 2014

In just four years as coach of the Arizona Wildcats, Sean Miller has helmed 20 games in which the Cats have beaten a foe by 25 or more points. Most recently, the UA put a beatdown on the Utah Utes in the Pac-12 Tournament. And just this season, the Cats have 10 such wins. BYU was the only team to do the same to UA in that same period (30-point win at McKale Center on Dec. 28, 2010). Here's a look at the largest margins of victory, from No. 20 to No. 1, in Miller's career in Tucson.

How it happened: Behind 17 points and seven assists from Mark Lyons (pictured), Arizona won its ninth straight game to start the season against an overmatched Oral Roberts club that shot less than 40 percent from the field while Arizona approached 60 percent (this will be a theme). Solomon Hill had six steals in the game for the Wildcats.

How it happened: Jesse Perry and Derrick Williams (pictured) combined for 33 points, 13 rebounds three assists, a steal, a block and maybe a kitchen sink (we're still looking into that one) as Arizona shot exactly 50 percent from the field and held Robert Morris to zero players in double-digit scoring.

How it happened: Surprise! Derrick Williams scored 27 points and snagged 14 rebounds (six on the offensive boards) while shooting 9 for 10 from the field and 9 for 12 from the line in just 25 minutes. Kyle Fogg, pictured, dished out seven assists as the Cats (once again) shot better than 50 percent from the field and held its opponent to less than 40 percent.

How it happened: Kyle Fogg (pictured) had 12 points and six assists while shooting 2 for 3 from deep as Arizona shot 50 percent from that range overall while thumping Utah in the second-most lopsided road win of Sean Miller's UA career. Kevin Parrom added 12 points and hit 3 of 5 three-pointers.

How it happened: Kevin Parrom (pictured) didn't do much on the offensive end, but we had to give him some love and credit for the Cats holding Rice to 37.5 percent shooting and just 2 for 11 from deep. Derrick Williams (as he did throughout his sophomore season) dominated. He had 18 points and 10 rebounds and missed just one shot in 24 minutes before giving way to the end of the bench.

Greg Bryan/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 27

Date: Feb. 22, 2014

How it happened: Arizona started the game with sweltering defense and just-good-enough offense to take an early double-digit lead – but then the lid went on the basket and Colorado crawled to within six at halftime. But in the second half, Arizona went nuts on both ends of the court – 84.6 percent shooting on offense and 44 percent shooting allowed on defense – to turn it into a laugher in the team's first win in Boulder, Colo., since 1973.

How it happened: Arizona won its fifth straight game to start Sean Miller's third season as coach and notched the largest margin of victory in a road game in the process. Nick Johnson (pictured) led the Cats with 18 points, and then-freshman center Kaleb Tarczewski grabbed 13 boards and blocked two shots. Arizona's defense held the Red Raiders to 34.9 percent shooting.

Zach Long

Margin: 28

Date: Nov. 19, 2013

How it happened: Nick Johnson led the way with not only a number of acrobatic dunks himself but also some alley-oop passes that led to dunks and 10 rebounds. With 20 points, Johnson finished just four assists shy of a triple-double with six assists. Gabe York (pictured) had eight points.

Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 28.

Date: Feb. 26, 2014.

How it happened: While avenging their first loss of the 2013-14 season, the Wildcats rode a complete effort on both ends of the court to blow the Bears out of the water. Nick Johnson had 22 points, and Kaleb Tarczewski added 16 points. T.J. McConnell (above) kept the offense in sync with 13 points and six assists.

How it happened: Derrick Williams (pictured) scored 19 points in 29 minutes while hitting 6 for 10 from the field, 1 for 1 from deep and 6 for 9 from the free throw line as Arizona rolled to another huge victory. Arizona shot 51 percent from the floor and held Bethune-Cookman to 34.2 percent.

Greg Bryan/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 33

Date: Dec. 23, 2013

How it happened: Nick Johnson scored 20 points while No. 1 Arizona beat NAU 77-44 to finish its nonconference season at 13-0. Up by 24 points at halftime, the Wildcats were scoreless for nearly three minutes at the start of the second half. They warmed up after Brandon Ashley stole the ball and Nick Johnson slammed down a one-handed dunk with 16:05 left, making it 47-24.

How it happened: Freshman Aaron Gordon led the Cats to a 45-29 rebound advantage with 10 boards, Nick Johnson (pictured) had 14 points and a block, and the Cats held Long Beach State to just 27 percent shooting in a game in which just one LBSU player shot better than 50 percent during the game.

Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 35

Date: Jan. 3, 2014

How it happened: Arizona led 16-1 and then 28-7 at halftime - and Washington State threatened to score fewer points than any team in the shot clock era as the Cats completely stifled the depleted Cougars. Kaleb Tarczewski led all scorers with 11 points (yes, all scorers, 11 points) and Arizona still won by 35. Eight late garbage-time points for Wazzu with all the bench players on the floor for both teams are the only reason they didn't lose by more.

How it happened: After an eight-day break from games, Arizona hosted Northern Arizona and ran them out of the building while shooting 57.7 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from behind the three-point line. Point guard Mark Lyons led the Cats with 18 points, while Solomon Hill (pictured) scored 17 points. Arizona also held the Lumberjacks to just 36.4 percent shooting and gave up just nine foul shots all game.

How it happened: Derrick Williams led the Cats with 16 points and five rebounds in just 20 minutes as the Cats put on clinics in both shooting and defending in the second-largest blowout in Sean Miller's UA coaching career. Jordin Mayes (pictured being pushed playfully by Jamelle Horne after connecting from deep) hit 2 of 4 three-point attempts and Brendon Lavender hit 4 of 5 from deep as the Cats cleaned house and all 15 players got time on the court.

Mamta Popat/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 50

Date: Nov. 18, 2013

How it happened: Six Wildcats hit double digits in scoring (including freshman Rondae Jefferson, pictured above, who had 13 points), the team shot 52.6 percent from deep, freshman sensation Aaron Gordon had his third double-double in four games as the Cats outrebounded Fairleigh Dickinson 55-24 and the Cats held the visiting Knights to 31 percent from the field in the biggest blowout of Sean Miller's career as head coach - in his 100th win, no less.

Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 32

Date: March 13, 2014

How it happened: Arizona's calling card in its stellar 2013-14 season was defense, and they brought it from the opening tip. The Cats set Pac-12 tournament records for fewest points allowed (old record was 40), fewest field goals allowed (12, record was 13) and lowest field goal percentage (.255). Arizona led 34-13 at the half and stretched that to 40-13 not much later. No Utah player scored in double figures. Oh, Arizona also shot .529 from the floor and dominated that end of the court as well.

Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

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How it happened: Behind 17 points and seven assists from Mark Lyons (pictured), Arizona won its ninth straight game to start the season against an overmatched Oral Roberts club that shot less than 40 percent from the field while Arizona approached 60 percent (this will be a theme). Solomon Hill had six steals in the game for the Wildcats.

How it happened: Jesse Perry and Derrick Williams (pictured) combined for 33 points, 13 rebounds three assists, a steal, a block and maybe a kitchen sink (we're still looking into that one) as Arizona shot exactly 50 percent from the field and held Robert Morris to zero players in double-digit scoring.

How it happened: Surprise! Derrick Williams scored 27 points and snagged 14 rebounds (six on the offensive boards) while shooting 9 for 10 from the field and 9 for 12 from the line in just 25 minutes. Kyle Fogg, pictured, dished out seven assists as the Cats (once again) shot better than 50 percent from the field and held its opponent to less than 40 percent.

How it happened: Kyle Fogg (pictured) had 12 points and six assists while shooting 2 for 3 from deep as Arizona shot 50 percent from that range overall while thumping Utah in the second-most lopsided road win of Sean Miller's UA career. Kevin Parrom added 12 points and hit 3 of 5 three-pointers.

How it happened: Kevin Parrom (pictured) didn't do much on the offensive end, but we had to give him some love and credit for the Cats holding Rice to 37.5 percent shooting and just 2 for 11 from deep. Derrick Williams (as he did throughout his sophomore season) dominated. He had 18 points and 10 rebounds and missed just one shot in 24 minutes before giving way to the end of the bench.

Greg Bryan/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 27

Date: Feb. 22, 2014

How it happened: Arizona started the game with sweltering defense and just-good-enough offense to take an early double-digit lead – but then the lid went on the basket and Colorado crawled to within six at halftime. But in the second half, Arizona went nuts on both ends of the court – 84.6 percent shooting on offense and 44 percent shooting allowed on defense – to turn it into a laugher in the team's first win in Boulder, Colo., since 1973.

How it happened: Arizona won its fifth straight game to start Sean Miller's third season as coach and notched the largest margin of victory in a road game in the process. Nick Johnson (pictured) led the Cats with 18 points, and then-freshman center Kaleb Tarczewski grabbed 13 boards and blocked two shots. Arizona's defense held the Red Raiders to 34.9 percent shooting.

Zach Long

Margin: 28

Date: Nov. 19, 2013

How it happened: Nick Johnson led the way with not only a number of acrobatic dunks himself but also some alley-oop passes that led to dunks and 10 rebounds. With 20 points, Johnson finished just four assists shy of a triple-double with six assists. Gabe York (pictured) had eight points.

Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 28.

Date: Feb. 26, 2014.

How it happened: While avenging their first loss of the 2013-14 season, the Wildcats rode a complete effort on both ends of the court to blow the Bears out of the water. Nick Johnson had 22 points, and Kaleb Tarczewski added 16 points. T.J. McConnell (above) kept the offense in sync with 13 points and six assists.

How it happened: Derrick Williams (pictured) scored 19 points in 29 minutes while hitting 6 for 10 from the field, 1 for 1 from deep and 6 for 9 from the free throw line as Arizona rolled to another huge victory. Arizona shot 51 percent from the floor and held Bethune-Cookman to 34.2 percent.

Greg Bryan/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 33

Date: Dec. 23, 2013

How it happened: Nick Johnson scored 20 points while No. 1 Arizona beat NAU 77-44 to finish its nonconference season at 13-0. Up by 24 points at halftime, the Wildcats were scoreless for nearly three minutes at the start of the second half. They warmed up after Brandon Ashley stole the ball and Nick Johnson slammed down a one-handed dunk with 16:05 left, making it 47-24.

How it happened: Freshman Aaron Gordon led the Cats to a 45-29 rebound advantage with 10 boards, Nick Johnson (pictured) had 14 points and a block, and the Cats held Long Beach State to just 27 percent shooting in a game in which just one LBSU player shot better than 50 percent during the game.

Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 35

Date: Jan. 3, 2014

How it happened: Arizona led 16-1 and then 28-7 at halftime - and Washington State threatened to score fewer points than any team in the shot clock era as the Cats completely stifled the depleted Cougars. Kaleb Tarczewski led all scorers with 11 points (yes, all scorers, 11 points) and Arizona still won by 35. Eight late garbage-time points for Wazzu with all the bench players on the floor for both teams are the only reason they didn't lose by more.

How it happened: After an eight-day break from games, Arizona hosted Northern Arizona and ran them out of the building while shooting 57.7 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from behind the three-point line. Point guard Mark Lyons led the Cats with 18 points, while Solomon Hill (pictured) scored 17 points. Arizona also held the Lumberjacks to just 36.4 percent shooting and gave up just nine foul shots all game.

How it happened: Derrick Williams led the Cats with 16 points and five rebounds in just 20 minutes as the Cats put on clinics in both shooting and defending in the second-largest blowout in Sean Miller's UA coaching career. Jordin Mayes (pictured being pushed playfully by Jamelle Horne after connecting from deep) hit 2 of 4 three-point attempts and Brendon Lavender hit 4 of 5 from deep as the Cats cleaned house and all 15 players got time on the court.

Mamta Popat/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 50

Date: Nov. 18, 2013

How it happened: Six Wildcats hit double digits in scoring (including freshman Rondae Jefferson, pictured above, who had 13 points), the team shot 52.6 percent from deep, freshman sensation Aaron Gordon had his third double-double in four games as the Cats outrebounded Fairleigh Dickinson 55-24 and the Cats held the visiting Knights to 31 percent from the field in the biggest blowout of Sean Miller's career as head coach - in his 100th win, no less.

Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star

Margin: 32

Date: March 13, 2014

How it happened: Arizona's calling card in its stellar 2013-14 season was defense, and they brought it from the opening tip. The Cats set Pac-12 tournament records for fewest points allowed (old record was 40), fewest field goals allowed (12, record was 13) and lowest field goal percentage (.255). Arizona led 34-13 at the half and stretched that to 40-13 not much later. No Utah player scored in double figures. Oh, Arizona also shot .529 from the floor and dominated that end of the court as well.